Foods to Boost Immunity

The Anti-Cold: Foods to Boost Immunity

While you can’t completely protect yourself from getting sick, you can pump up your body’s defenses by eating certain foods that boost your immune system. These super foods increase your white blood cells (the germ battlers) and eliminate substances that make you sick.

Think of these foods as your own personal protection against colds. Let them be your bodyguards.

First, load up on vitamin C, which is the biggest and best immune booster around. Drink plenty of orange juice and eat a lot of fruit. Try to forgo the vitamin C tablets–these usually contain a lot of sugar–and get the nutrient naturally. Vitamin E is another important nutrient that seeks out and destroys germs. You can find this super vitamin in seeds, vegetable oils and grains.

Aim to eat foods high in carotenoids, bioflavenoids, zinc, selenium and Omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re a fan of garlic, you’ll like this tidbit: garlic is a powerful immune booster and may protect against cancer. So go ahead, roast some garlic cloves and eat up.

And if you do get sick, eat some spicy foods. Hot mustard, chili peppers and onions contain substances known as “mucolytics” that, just like cough syrups, work to break up mucus.